Friday 10 May 2013

Sherwood calling!

A posy from the garden.

We live in the city of Nottingham in an area called Sherwood. Here are some characters you might recognise, who lived not far from here. They were left here by the people before us. I need to find somewhere for them to continue their reign. 

This was supper out on the patio on a sunny bank holiday. It's a puff pastry tart topped with leeks from our garden.



In this area, '50p, ducky!' is one of my favourite sentences to hear on a Sunday morning. For non-Notts-natives, it rhymes with cooky and is a term of affection widely used by slightly older people, particularly at the car boot sale which I frequent, which is in the shire rather than the city.

A Noddy eggcup, various brooches, Bulgarian treenware, a cellulite fish, 8 rolls of brightly coloured cotton thread, a German chalet weather house, all prompting that magic phrase.













But the thing that set my heart racing when I saw it was this ballet print. It is from a painting of the ballet Giselle, by an artist called Carlotta Edwards. When I was small, my dream was to be a ballerina. But not just any ballerina, the corps de ballet was not for me, I wanted to be a prima ballerina like my heroine, Dame Margot Fonteyn. This was well worth a bit more. Two British Pounds to you ducky.


I've been making a dress out of an old tablecloth. It's a bit Institution Chic at this stage in the proceedings, and that expression on my face fits the bill, but once it is dyed and a bit of trim added, I am sure (!) that I will look as casually elegant as these ladies on the right. I'm going for the version with sleeves.



Here's someone I have recently come across and admire very much, Jack Munroe of the blog a girl called Jack.

Questions: what local colloquialisms do you have to share? What did you want to be when you were little?

16 comments:

Unknown said...

Love your ballet print. I to love the ballet its so graceful and beautiful the one and only time I went was to see swan Lake with my friend who has sadly passed away but I have fond memories of the evening :-) She was 86 and she just couldn't stop giggling at the men in their tights ;-) Lovely pansys I love this time of year lets hope the sun comes out to play again this weekend. Have fun lovely, dee xx

mispapelicos said...

Wonderful pics, ahhhhh

Vix said...

Institution Chic indeed! That dress looks like it's going to look gorgeous, if the sneak peep's anything to go by!
I love being called "ducky", it's always "cock" here, which isn't quite as endearing!
Loving those finds but am a bit perplexed by the "cellulite fish". Is it a new wonder treatment?
Your blooms, bargains and dinner all look amazing.
Have a fantastic weekend, me duck! xxxxxxx

Lyosha Varezhkina said...

charming figures! love

have a great weekend
Lyosha
Inside and Outside Blog

Krista said...

Please add another place setting on that glorious table of yummy food underneath that summer sun! It looks tasty! Your ballerina pic is super sweet and will look great up somewhere in your home. Institutional chic you might just start a new trend. Can't wait to see the finished product! Enjoy the weekend!
xxoo

Optimistic Existentialist said...

Wnoderful pics!! I would love to live there!

Curtise said...

Ha, Vix has me chuckling - I am more than happy for some fish to nibble away at my cellulite!
Anyway - little posies picked from your own garden are glorious, aren't they? Your alfresco dinner looks gorgeous.
All your finds are just so YOU, Tania, and I would have snapped up that ballet print too. Have I never told you about my past life as a prima ballerina? Oh yes, I the Odile of my generation... hahahaha, as if - I'm the clumsiest, most inelegant person in the world!
I wanted to be a singer. If you get me on the karaoke, you can tell that I still do.
It's duck in Sheffield. And mardy is a favourite, of course.
The institutonal frock is lovely, and Jack Munroe is an inspiration, isn't she?
Have a scrumptious weekend! xxxx

Ofelia said...

I wanted to be a princess and change clothing 3 times a day!
The painting is such an amazing find and I understand your love for Dame Margot Fonteyn, hers and Nureyev 1962 Giselle is was so inspiring.

Connie said...

Oh oh such pretty things. I'm a little nuts for ballet things, too. And those 60's shifts. Super love!!!!

Miss Simmonds Says said...

ooh I don't know where to start! Since your Dad is from Penn, there's a local saying "Going to Booker to see Penn church", which means to dawdle about. My uncle from Penn apparently used to say "Cor, beggerin' tuppney!". We also say "it's a bit black over Bill's Mother's" when we see dark clouds in the distance" Maybe I should do a post on this! I love local sayings, so thanks so much for sharing yours.
oooh..talking of Ducky, "way up Duck" was a local greeting!
I have one of those prints! Hurrah and mine cost £2 too! I loved your Fonteyn tribute. Noddy is rather scary but I do love him. More lovely Alpine bits and bobs I spy too. The first photo is just beautiful. Really looking forward to the finished dress! I still have some patterns to send you!

Vintage Jane said...

Great bargains duck!
Can't wait to see the finished dress. I'm in awe of anyone who can make their own clothes ... I wouldn't know where to start! M x

Penny-Rose said...

I love the treasure from the car boot sale - especially Noddy. I also really love the deer beside the posy. I think your blog is so pretty! I wish I could make a dress from an old tablecloth - well I wish I could find a tablecloth to make a dress from. The style you have chose is very classic and I am looking forward to seeing it when it is finished. I spent my childhood in Lincolnshire and have been a kiwi since the early 1980s. There are so many crazy NZ colloquialisms!!

CityScape Skybaby said...

I love your ballet picture Tania, Tania just sounds like a prima ballerina's name too. I wanted to be loads of things, an artist, a pop star, a vet, the headmistress of a girls boarding school like Mallory Towers, a librarian, that's all I can think of right now. Where I grew up, in Merseyside, all the older people called you luv, up here in Scotland it's hen, or occasionally people will call you pal. I'm really of an age where I could be using those words now but I've never felt like I've got the authority they need, or grown up quite enough, I'm not sure what it is. I saw some Swiss bells in the charity shop yesterday and thought of you as I know you like all things Alpine. xx

two squirrels said...

Oh so excited to see this fabulous dress when its finished....you are going to look super cute in that style.
Love the first photo of the pansy, they are such a lovely wee flower.
The meal looks so yummy....hmmm I think i am hungry.
Have a wonderful weekend sweet.
love V

Kylie said...

That frock is going to be lovely Tania - I love its square buttoned neckline. Chic is definitely the word. Your supper looks delish, how nice for guys to get some lovely sunshine on your bank holiday. We have had loads of delicious rain here (although it's sunny today) and I've been able to bust out the tights which is always lovely after a long hot Summmer x

me said...

So many cool things!!! I'd go broke. :)

I think your dress will be amazing (it already is).